Incinerator



March 20, 1951 J. P. MGKINLEY INCINERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III nl FiledFeb. 25, 1946 INVENTOR.

March 20, 1951 J. P. MCKINLEYY INCINERATOR 28heets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.25, 1946 therewith.

Patented Mar. 20, 1951 s rA NT oFncE .INCINERATOR John P. McKinley,Buffalo, N. Y. Application February 25, 1946, Serial No. 649,942 Claims.(c1.11o 1s) Y This invention relates to incinerators, of the typeadapted for the burning of garbage and other refuse, and is inthe natureof an improve ment upon prior Patent No. 2,010,460 of August 6,1935.

' An object of the .invention is to provide an improved incinerator,with which the combustible part of the refuse may be dehydrated andburned rapidly and without odor in a minimum of time, and with a minimumof supplied heat.

I Another object of the invention is to provide an improved incineratorfor refuse and garbage, of the down drafttype; with which thedehydration of the refuse and garbage may be accomplished rapidly withonly the natural draft; with which the dehydration may be accelerated,when desired, through the use of added heat; and with which the dangerof odors escaping into the room will be eliminated.

' Another object of the invention is to improve the efficiency andoperation of incinerators of this type and provide maximum capacity in aminimum of overall space, and which will require a minimum of serviceand attention.

. Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description of several embodiments of V the invention, andthe: novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter inconnection with the appended claims. if In the accompanying drawings:'Fig. 1 is a side elevation, largely in section, of an incineratorconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectionalplan of the same, the section ,being takenapproximately along the line 2 2' of Fig. 1; 1 Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the use threwithof anelectric heater for, accelerating the' dehydration of the refuse; andFig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a part of the same with a differenttype of heater employed In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figs. land 2, the incinerator includes the housing Iv which ispreferably rectangular in transverse cross section, and provided on itsinterior, upright wall with a layer 2 of any suitable heat resistingmaterial, such as asbestos. This housing is supportedonasuitable base 3which provides the bottom for the housing, and this base has feet 4which support the bottom of the casing above the floor. These feet 4may, as shown,; be individual feet or posts, or they may extend aroundthe majorpart of the base to con;

ce'al'the space below the bottom of the housing. The housing is closedat its top by a plate 5 having therein a charging opening 6, which isnormally closed by a cover'l that is hinged or other wise disposedacross the opening 6, so that by lifting the cover 1, one may uncoverthe aperture or opening 6' to enable refuse and garbage to be depositedin the incinerator. f a

Disposed within the housing I is a casing 01 shell 8 which is spaced onits side walls from the housing I, so as to provide a chamber 9interposed between the side wall of the housing I and the. casing 8.

housing. The housing I is provided at one side with an opening I0normally closed by a door or closure I I and casing 8 is provided with asimilar alined opening 8a. These openings III and 8a are at the bottomof the housing,'and within the housing is disposed an ash pan I2 thatfits openings 8a and I0. This pan I2 may be attached to or separate fromthe door or closure II,' but in this example, it is shown as .attachedto the closure l I so as to form therewith a'drawer that mayrberemovedin order to empty the ashes from the pan I2. Around the opening I0 isanimperforate plate I3 whi'chextends between the side wall of housing" Iand the casing 8, so that there will be no communication aroundthe'open' ing IIJ into the passage Q. Mounted in the casing 8, justabove the pan I2, is a grate I i of any suitable construction,preferably one havinga tiltable section l5 and'an operating shaft I6 e12tending to the'exterior of the housing, soYth'at unburned parts'of therefuse Which are too large to pass through the openings in thegrate'maybe dumped into the pan when the section [5 is tilted. t 1

Attached to the rear side wall of the casing 8 is a channel shaped shellI"! which has its open face abutting against the side wall of the casing8 so as to form therewith a closed flue I8 extending from'the top plateor member, 5 to the lower part of the housing. The lower end of thisflue I8 is closed by an inclined plate I9 leading to the side wall ofthe casing 8, and the lower edge of this inclined wall I9 isapproximately at the level of the grate I4, or only a short distanceabove or below it. The casing 8 has, in its rear wall, an inlet draftopening 20, the lower edge of which meets the lower end of the inclinedplate I9. This opening 20 is upright or approximately ver-, tical andextends from approximately the level of the grateupwardly a substantialdistance of This casing 8 is usually made of f heavy sheet metal andextends from the top plate P 5 downwardly to the base or bottom 3 .oftheat least four or five inches but preferably less than twelve inches.Thus, this flue passage I8 opens into the casing 8 in the zoneimmediately above the grate M. The top member 5 is provided with a flueopening 2| to which is connected a flue pipe 22 on the outside of thehousing, and this flue opening 2| is aligned with the flue passage l8.Thus, the pipe 22 forms a continuation orthe fluepassage I8,

The casinglii is'provided on its reariside; which forms one wall of theflue passage I8, and adjacent the flue opening 2I, with limited airvents 23 which are substantial but have a size inadequate to supply thedraft of the flue pipe 22 In fact, there are usually two or threeofj-suchiq en-iings 23, and the total area supplies substantially lessthan one-half the natural draftof the' fluetso that there will always bea substantial dratti at the opening into the lower part of the casing 8Thecasing 8 is provided with air inlet openings: 24 adjacent its; upperend, and preferablylargely at'the frontof "the housing approximatelyopposite from the vent openings 23; While one horizontally elongatedopening would be the equivalentof these open s 24;; it is: preferabletbf'llSB a plurality of apertures arrange'diin" rows" which do notextend completely, along "the? sides of the. casing 8. These openings???allow'air to enter the upperend' of'the casing 3"immediately below thecoverrTfrom' the chamber or"spa'ce'9 between thehousing and the. casing;

Air inletopenings' are also. providedl fO1'"the; space or' chamber -9between the; casing "andhous ing at't'he lower'end'thereof; a id'theseopenings maybe irreither the bottom'or' inrtherear side wall ofthehousing 1: Air may enter the space Bf'at'the lower endthereof; pass,upwardly around thecasing' Bto the openings ZAWhere it is preheated; andthen' enter 'therefuse chamber in the casing 8 at the" upper end andforward; part th f small part ffthe air enterin casine Bfwill .moveacross the topo'fthe refuse chamber of the casingjdto reach thelimitedffll'le. Vents23' anuipa s' t y't ie h mney flue .22iandth rnrainder andmajorpart ofthe ingoing air will p ass'downwardly in ..thecasing etto theflueopienr. meZO; eme by h passa e 13; to, the. chimneyflue 2'2? The-portion oft'he air. enteringthe cas; 1 15 t t upper nd?thereofiandjwhi h moves acrossandbeneathithe door opening Eland'the topend'of the refuse: chamber to .thevent' will carryiwith it anyiod orarising, from the -ref1lfiv r ar age in'th'e casing. 8.. Also; whencover 1 is, lifted; air'ma'y enter through. the opening 6.. andipass t'the v nt 233,011 downwardly r u h the casing8 to the vent openingZjUfandTthus carry" off: odors arising, from the? refuse, Thisefiectivelyprevents"escape ofodors into the room while refuse orgarbageis being. chargedintothe casihgB' as wellia's afterfthe coverTisclosedl AgrilIe'ZB' is disposedalongthe rear walljqf the casing 8'"but on the inside thereof, andlis sup ported at itsiupper'end in anysuitable manner from'the' casing, such as by havingarms. 21engagedthrough slots 28 inthe rear wallLofjthe case ing 8i This'grilleiextends; substantially tbthe. grate" 14- and preferably hasva forked,end? 218T which" engages over a" cross bar of the grate. This. serves"to space the grille 26 slightlyfrorn the'rear wall of the casingf8'andthus"provid afijspacealong, the rear' Wall of the-casing 8' for asubstantial distance upwardly from the grate and above'the'flfue opening20"; sothat air may pass through the" refuse to the flue" opening 20without passing entirely through the full depth 4 of the refuse orgarbage. Some of the entering air can also pass along the narrow spacebetween the grille 2B and the rear wall of the casing 8 to reach theflue opening 20, and in doing so will dry the refuse abutting againstthe grille.

Disposed along the front wall of the casing 8, but on the inside of thecasing, is a second grille 3!! which is approximately opposite from thegrille, ZLandeXtending, upwardly,v from near the grate. fora-tsubstantialidistance. grille 30 is spaced somewhat from the frontwall of the casing 8 so as to provide a compartment 3| in which may belocated a suitable source of heat, such-as a gas burner 32. The upperedge of the grille-diiqrissconnected to the casing by an inclined,

substantially imperforate Wall 33, so that refuse or: garbagedepositedlin the casing 8 will be kept away. from the burner 32. Alimited air inlet opening 34 is provided inithe front wall of casing 8below the inclined wall 33 and substantially above-the grate? Preferablyopening 34 is provided near" the top of the grille 3 8 so that air mayenter-this compartment 31 and-pass down wardly along the grille30; some'of it" passing through grille 3B andthence across the lowerend of the"refuse charnber the=casing- 8* to andr throughthe opposite grille -2"6*'to reachthe-flue opening 20":

Air enteringthrough I this opening 3% is; sum

cient to provide thesecondaryair for the-iopera' tionof' the burner 32and its pilc'it3'2'a and; when the-burner- 32 isnotoperating-y.some'of-this en tering air moves directly and" horizontallyacross the'lower end: of the r'eftise-chamber betweencthe grilles'toreach the fiue -opening 20 This'comtinuous movement? of airthrougli'tlielower end of the ref-use) chamber provides a steady: dehye dratingaction-on'=the'-ref-use' in the-*refuse cham her, and the dehydration isaccelerated whenthe burner" is" operating; because in that" case" theburner not only radiates-"heat to *the-refuse-"abut" ting againstthegrille" 30, but the-hot gases of combustion also pass: horizontallythroughthe lower end of' therefuse chamber, to dry'the' refuse and"garbage supported justabove'-the grate.- The'burner 32" maybe ofany'suitabletype; including the flattyp e"=illustlfatedi Which"-requires a minimum offspaicein, the'casing 8-1 In ordert'o facilitatethe movement of the aii and gases across the lower-partofthe rerusechamber in thecasing-tii OIIGjOI morebars oi rods 35=maybe disposedbetween a'nd supported by the grilles 26 and 30, so thatsome'ofthefretuse and; garbage" descending" irr the chamber" of thecasing 8 will be heldupsemewhat abbye the grate, thereby preventingpacking of therrefi s'e and garbage upon-the grate.Thisprovidesspassages? through the; refuse" and garbage through whichthe air and gases ma'y'movein. thedeliy dration. Fuel for the burner 32and"the"'pilot 3'20. mayldasupplied' throughaipipe 36 with' a valve-"3 1controlling the movement of gas' totli'e" burner 32. A mixing valve 38of any"suitaibyle type may-beassociated ith'tHEbumer:

In the 'embodiment of=-the-invention illustrated in Fig: 3 thecons-truction is the'same as disclosed in' Figs; 1 and=2yexcept=thattlie gas'burnerflfis replaced by an electrichea-tei 4-ll-"of-- anysuitable type preferably one resembling a platewitlfai smoothsurface andhaving'therein'a resistance heating element: Electric heatersof thistype are available'inthe op'en market and therefore need not befurtherdescribed or illustrated. This heater 'i'ssupplied with operating'currentthrougl'r a=twin'conductor cable-H-f Parts'inFig: 3*whlcii Thelimited opening 34 is replaced by asin ilar limited'opening 43immediately below thebur'ner but above the grate through which secondaryair for the burner may pass into the refuse chamber from the space orchamber 9. This entering air may thus pass directly across the lowerpart of the refuse chamber to the grille 26. The burner 42 will hold upsome of the refuse in the chamber, above the grate, which makes the bars35 unnecessary. j

In all of the embodiments of the invention the arrangement of theapertures 24 largely at a dis:- tance from the limited vent openings 23is a material help in removing all danger that odors may escape into theroom through the charging door or cover 1, and there will, at all times,be a down draft through the refuse chamber and also an additional crossdraft through the lower zone of the refuse chamber above they gratewhich provides a continuous dehydrating action on the refuse. Thedehydration is accelerated by the operation of the gas burner orelectric heater. The arrangementis compact and provides maximum capacityfor the refuse with a minimum of overall space.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials andarrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustratedin order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by thoseskilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, asexpressed in the appended claims.

I claim as myinvention:

1. An incinerator comprising a casing having a refuse holding chamberwith a grate at its lower end, a charging opening adjacent its top, anda major air inlet also adjacent its top, an exhaust flueterminating'within said casing, substantially closed at its lower endand having above its lower end an upright major inlet opening, the loweredge of which is approximately at the level of the grate, and a grillealong the wall of said chamber in front of said inlet opening to passair from the lower part of said chamber inan approximately horizontaldirection into said flue inlet opening, said casing having a limited airpassage opening into the lower part of said chamber above said grate andopposite said exhaust flue upright opening. 7

2. An incinerator comprising a casing having a refuse holding chamberwith a grate at its lower end, a charging opening adjacent its top, anda major air inlet also adjacent its top, an exhaust flue terminatingwithin said casing, substantially closed at its lower end and havingabove its lower end an upright major inlet opening, the lower edge ofwhich is approximately at the level of the grate, and a grille along thewall of said chamber in front of said inlet opening to pass air from thelower part of said chamber in an approximately horizontal direction intosaid flue inlet opening, said casing having a limited air inlet in itsside wall, insuificient in size to supply the draft of said flue,opening into said chamber substantially above the grate and spaced wellfrom said grille in a direction peripherally of said chamber, saidcasing also having therein a source of heat 6* 7 above said grate andspaced-well from the grille in front of said flue inlet opening.

' 3. An incinerator comprising a casinghaving a refuse holding chamberwith a grate at its lower end, a charging opening adjacent its top, anda major air inlet also adjacent its top, an exhaust flue terminatingwithin said casing, substantially closed atits lower end and havingabove its lower end anupright major, inlet opening, the lower edge ofwhich is approximately at the level of the grate, a grille along thewall of said chamber in front of said inlet opening to pass air from thelower part of said chamber in an approximately horizontal direction intosaid flue inlet opening, said casing having a limited air inlet in itsside wall, insufficient in size to supply the draft of saidflue, openinginto said chamber substantially above the grate and spaced well fromsaid grille in a direction peripherally of said chamber, and a gasburner in said casing well above said grate and extending in a directiontowards said grille from the opposite side of the casing to spread thedescending refuse in said chamber and heat it,

whereby air may pass from said limited air inlet to said major flueinlet horizontally through the refuse in the lower end of said chamberto dehydrate the refuse to a combustible condition and supply secondaryair to said burner.

4. An incinerator comprising a housing, a casing within said housing andhaving its side walls spaced from the housing side walls and extendingto and abutting the upper end of said housing, with the top of thehousing also forming the top of the casing, the top of said housinghaving a charging opening leading to the interior of said casing, a doorclosing said opening, a grate within and extending in a directioncrosswise of, said casing at a level above the lower end of saidhousing, a grille within said casing and disposed along and spaced fromthe side wall of said casing, a source of heat disposed within saidcasing and spaced from and just above the level of said grate, forheating refuse in the interior of said casing above said grate, anexhaust flue extending into said housing and having an inlet openingwhich is mainly vertical, with its lower edge approximately at the levelof the grate, and along and spaced somewhat from said grille, saidcasing having a main air inlet adjacent its top and a limited air inletadjacent said source of heat at the side of the casing about oppositefrom said flue inlet, whereby some air may pass across said casingchamber above said grate to said exhaust flue inlet to dehydrate therefuse in the lower part of said casing and just above said grate, and amajor part of the inlet air may pass downwardly through said casingchamber to reach said exhaust flue inlet opening.

5. An incinerator comprising a refuse receiving casing having a chamberwith a grate at its lower end and a grille-like side wall for asubstantial distance upwardly from the grate, an exhaust flue having aninlet opening adjacent and facing said grille-like side wall, said inletopening being substantially above said grate, said casing having a mainair inlet near its upper end and a limited air inlet just above saidgrate and about opposite said flue inlet opening, whereby movement ofair and gases horizontally throughthe portion of the refuse immediatelyabove the grate from the limited air inlet to the main flue inlet willdehydrate it preparatory to burning.

JOHN P. MCKINLEY.

(References on following page) Number? 2,010,460

7 GITEI The following r'e'frerrc'es"v are" of record' in the tileof'thi's patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name: Date Jonesxuh W Oct." 183 193 2 Sharmom u rM212; 65' 19:1 Maul m w.w flwJmflsy; 193:4.

Number.

FOREIGNTPATENTS Cbunbry, Dame

